Life is like a 5th grade slumber party: a mix of love, friendship, gossip, food, laughs, heartache, and cute pajamas.

Friday, September 28, 2007

You say pee-CAN; I say it correctly

As far as I know, pecans aren't grown up here in the northern climes to any great extent. That's probably why no one outside of the South or Texas (not the South; it's Southwest) can pronounce the name of one of my favorite nuts.

"Hey! Want some butter pee-CAN ice cream?"

"Why, no. But I'd love a little butter pe-cahn if you find any."

Since Southerners are often taken to task for mispronouncing words (and rightly so), I always feel it's my prerogative to correct a Northerner who says "peeCAN" instead of the more luscious "pe-cahn" or (if you really want Southern-speak) "pe-cawn".

Picky? Perhaps. But "peeCAN" just lacks dignity. Yes, dignity. It strips a noble nut of its rightful place at the the center of the nut constellation. So, repeat after me: pe-cahn, pe-cahn, pe-cahn.

You tell 'em, MaryB! I luv me some pe-cahns, any way you wanna throw 'em at me.

Today I was fixin' up a batch of Luzianne ice tea, and when I poured my first glass and stirred it, I realized somethin' else about the South. We have ice tea spoons, those long handle suckers that let you get way down in a big ol' glass of god's chosen nectar without gettin' yer pinkie wet. I lived up nawth for 20 years and the only ones I ever saw were the ones in my kitchen drawer, the ones I took there when I was exiled to Pittsburgh.

Mary, the South is full of folks who say pee-can...my best friend is one of them. A Douglas, GA native (Coffee Co....way down in South GA) only says pee-can and corrects me! So, we have lots of variations...but the best thing is, pecans are just the most versatile and tasty nuts out there!Right? Va.Branum

Well, it seems folks fall on all sides of this one, but I'll stand by my correct pronunciation of "Pecan." Jo - yeah, damn Billy Crystal and his "PEE-CAN pie with peppricosh" or whatever! Virginia -I have never heard a dyed-in-the-wool Southerner say pee-CAN. Yo' friends must've had Yankee parents! (Now, I have heard Southerners say "PEE-cahn.") Winston and Elsie - y'all can fight it out between yerselves over the iced teaspoons and sundae spoons (I'd say they can do double-duty, in a pinch, eh?). Anon - I talk so fast that I'm sure I say "ah-mond," instead of "al-mond," but I'll defer to the Californians on that one. And Em and Joy - I knew you'd be in my corner!

Nuts to you all (and I mean that with the very best of wishes and good health)!